California Tackles Illegal U.S. Seafood ImportsUnited States – 11 April 2014 – Forbes Would it worry you to know the fish on your plate isn’t what you think it is or where you think it’s from? Considering the U.S. imports 91% of its seafood in a system that makes it easy for businesses to get away with unknowingly selling customers mislabeled fish, maybe it should.

Lawmakers look to combat seafood fraudU.S. – 14 April 2014 – Business in Savannah In a nation where 92 percent of seafood is imported and labeling fraud is rife, both state and federal lawmakers are moving to pass laws to help make sure customers are getting the seafood they are paying for. A seafood labeling law in the South Carolina General Assembly would mean that, among other things, what is advertised as fresh local shrimp is what it says — not imported and frozen. It would make it a misdemeanor to intentionally mislabel seafood.

Impact of 2010 BP oil spill lingerU.S. – 18 April 2014 – St. Petersburg Tribune As the four-year mark of the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster approaches, environmental groups, marine scientists and local leaders warn that its impacts — and the spectre of oil drilling off the Pinellas Beaches — may still linger.

Seafood Traceability Makes for Better Products and a Healthy Bottom LineU.S. – 16 April 2014 – Triple Pundit The environmental benefits of seafood traceability are obvious: By tracking a fish through the entire supply chain – from capture to plate – you can ensure the fish wasn’t caught using illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices. But many companies, like Norpac Fisheries Export, are discovering that traceability is also good for their bottom lines.

Coast Guard Unloads Cocaine Worth $350 MillionU.S. – 16 April 2014 – military.com Wearing protective gloves and masks, members of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Legare carried 127 bales of cocaine -- with a street value of about $350 million -- off the ship and into a waiting trailer Tuesday.

Tuna Farmers Dream of Bringing Fish to New YorkJapan – 10 April 2014 – Wall Street Journal New York may someday get another sushi restaurant with an unusual owner: a Japanese university. A-marine Kindai Co., a company started by Kinki University in western Japan, says it hopes to open a restaurant in the Big Apple to serve farm-raised Pacific bluefin tuna, although it is more a wish than a specific plan at this point.

Foreign fishing vessel law change passes second readingNew Zealand – 16 April 2014 – Newstalk ZB A law change cracking down on alleged slave-like conditions on foreign fishing vessels in New Zealand waters has passed its second reading. It follows claims of physical and sexual abuse, underpayment and other appalling conditions.

French Navy seized Chinese fishing boatNew Caledonia – April 2014 – Islands Business Sea border dispute between Vanuatu and New Caledonia has resulted in the arrest and conviction of a Chinese boat captain and members of his crew. New Caledonian maritime surveillance authorities claimed the long line vessel was fishing inside its territorial waters and slapped it with a US$5.5m fine.

Japan FTA no big deal for tunaAustralia – 10 April 2014 – Port Lincoln Times WHILE several of Australia's major industries are set to benefit from the recently announced free trade agreement with Japan, Port Lincoln's tuna exports are not likely to be one of them.

Tuna-ing in to Pacific tradeAustralia – 13 April 2014 – ABC News The ABC's Pacific correspondent, Sean Dorney, was guest speaker recently at a Pacific Media Business Summit in Sydney. He was asked what he considered to be the big business story for the Pacific Islands. His answer surprised me. Sean Dorney told the gathering it's all about tuna.

Five Vietnamese fishing boats arrested in Natuna watersIndonesia – 11 April 2014 – The Jakarta Post Personnel from the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry fleet under the command of the Marine Resources and Fishery Control Directorate General have arrested five Vietnamese fishing boats for illegally fishing in Natuna waters, Riau Islands.

Fishing vessel Taurus joins the Russian fleetRussia – 15 April 2014 – Port News Up-to-date fishing vessel Taurus has entered service under the survey of Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS). The ship was built to the dual RS/DNV class and registered under the flag of the Russian Federation. The ordering customer and shipowner is ZAO TAURUS of Murmansk, RS said in its press release.

Japan intends to resume whaling in 2015Japan – 12 April 2014 – Global Post Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research on Friday filed briefs in the U.S. District Court in Seattle stating its intent to resume whale hunting in the Southern Ocean as early as fiscal 2015.

Illegal Fishing Clammed ShutAustralia – 15 April 2014 – thefishsite.com The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) has seized four illegal boats carrying hundreds of illegally-harvested giant clams and sea cucumbers (trepang) in Northern Australia following a coordinated operation by Border Protection Command (BPC), including the Royal Australian Navy, the Department of the Environment and AFMA. The seized vessels were destroyed.

New Zealand Maori-owned companies lose flag exemptionNew Zealand – 18 April 2014 – undercurrentnews.com Leaders of New Zealand Maori communities will be questioning how much sway they really hold in the corridors of power with one of their biggest recent victories being taken away from them.

Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance Force debutsVietnam – 15 April 2014 – Vietnam Net The Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance Force made its debut on April 15 in the central city of Da Nang in the presence of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. Operating under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s General Department of Fisheries, the force’s key tasks include patrolling the country’s waters, monitoring and inspecting fisheries activities as well as detecting and handling violations.

Fishing champion MP to stand downE.U. – 17 April 2014 - Fishupdate.com AUSTIN Mitchell, who has championed the cause of fishermen and the fishing industry for the past 37 years, is stepping down as MP for Grimsby.

No inter-governorate transfer of fishing boat licence: MinistryOman – 14 April 2014 – Times of Oman Transfer of fishing boat and vessel licences from one governorate to another is barred, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has reiterated. The ministry has published a statement in this regard in a bid to prevent instability in the fish market.

Marine fishing bill approvedSpain – 14 April 2014 – Fis.com After the proposal of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Magrama), the Ministers’ Council has approved the draft amendment to the State Maritime Fishing Act with the aim of promoting a number of key priorities for fisheries policy in Spain.

Mozambican Tuna company due to start operating in 2014Mozambique – 15 April 2014 – Macau Hub Mozambican company Empresa Moçambicana de Atum (EMATUM), set up by the government for tuna fishing, is due to start operating this year, the Fishing Minister, Victor Borges said in Sofala, cited by Mozambican newspaper O País.

Australian Navy Assists French Fishing VesselIndian Ocean – 16 April 2014 – Marinelink.com While patrolling in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa, Royal Australian Navy ship HMAS Darwin provided emergency medical assistance for a heart attack victim on a French fishing vessel.

Fury over great white shark haulSouth Africa – 12 April 2014 – IOL News A shark catch that has possibly set a new world angling record has left a shark tourism operator furious, promising to enlist the government’s help to stop the illegal fishing of sharks.

Belgian Head of Congo's Virunga Park ShotCongo – 16 April 2014 – ABC News The Belgian director of Africa's oldest national park, a reserve in conflict-ridden eastern Congo, has been shot and seriously wounded but his condition is improving, park officials said.

Insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea: Assessing the Threats, Preparing the ResponseGuinea – 17 April 2014 – ISN Why has the Gulf of Guinea replaced the Horn of Africa as the global center for maritime piracy? According to experts convened by the International Peace Institute, the reasons include economic deprivation, poor governance, pollution, poor natural resources management, and the ongoing crisis in the Sahel region.

Should we close the high seas to fishing?Global – 16 April 2014 – Eco Business The ocean is a big place, but not all seas are created equal. While 58% of the seas are classified as “high seas,” and open to access from all nations, there are over 150 exclusive economic zones (EEZs), which are the sole domain of the countries that operate them. EEZs comprise the remaining 42% of the ocean. The patchwork quilt of economic interests that blanket the ocean pose a problem for the fish who live there and the fisheries that exploit those fish.

Sea ChangeGlobal – 16 April 2014 – Foreign Affairs The oceans of studies on dying seas have done nothing to stop their devastation. In a 2011 report, the Oxford-based International Program on the State of the Ocean wrote that the planet faced “losing marine species and entire marine ecosystems, such as coral reefs, within a single generation.”

Panel of judges says regulate bunkeringGlobal – 16 April 2014 – Malta.com Bunkering in a country’s exclusive economic zone should be regulated, with the operation falling within the jurisdiction of the coastal zone, a Maltese judge declared in an international maritime tribunal ruling.